Always Thinking
friends-
i haven’t sent many personal emails to this email list but we’re in a situation that has gotten a little out of control and it’s time to fill you in. as some of you may know, i’ve been working for months on my new record, ‘stockholm syndrome’, which i’ve recently finished and turned in to the record label. they’ve been very supportive over the years, but this time we didn’t get the response we expected. it seems i’ve finally found the line beyond which my label can support me, and apparently i’ve crossed it.i consider this my most important record and am adamant about all of you hearing it. we had originally hoped to have ‘stockholm syndrome’ out this month (next week even), but at this point we’re not sure when the record will come out and in what form. the majority of the controversy is surrounding one song, which i consider to be among the most important songs on the record. so we’ve decided it’s an appropriate time to break the rules.
but because of various legal/publishing issues we’re having to be rather careful with how we do what we’re going to do next. that’s really all i can say for now and i’ve probably said too much.
we have a plan and we’re moving ahead, but we’re not sure what kind of trouble we might be getting into. we’ll let you know as soon as we know our next move-
derek
Like I’m sure many of you did, I woke up to this email this morning explaining the delay on the new Derek Webb record. I’ve seen several blog posts about it, heard conversations about it, and have even done some very limited research on it myself. Now, in that very limited research, I’ve come to find out that the ‘controversy’ may or may not have something to do with a specific word not found in any church hymnals and if uttered by a child would result in a good soapy mouth washing out. Fair enough. But I think there’s more to it.
I’ve had some time to hang out with Derek and one thing that I know for sure is that he is a brilliant guy. He’s always thinking, he’s always planning and he’s always ‘outside the box’. Interesting that there are so many conversations, articles and blog posts (including this one) about a controversial record that isn’t even out yet, don’t you think? Controversial or not, we are all talking about “Stockholm Syndrome’ already. And you better believe Derek knows that.
As someone who loves to create a buzz about something, and loves the idea of viral marketing, Derek is one of the best I have seen and I respect that. I think he’s a great guy, with great ideas, and I’m not so sure this isn’t one of those great ideas. I could be wrong, but I’m guessing I’m not.
What are your thoughts?
i was waiting for your response to this email.
as man that has come quite a ways from when i saw him play in a little, tiny house in chico, ca, i think he’s genius.
http://www.patrolmag.com/scanner/1658/new-derek-webb-album-too-scandalous-for-release
I like response #4
“If it includes the S-word as you say, I find it difficult to support him without knowing more.”
Followed up by response #7
“Adam’s right – if you’re offended by the s-word in one of his songs, then you’re probably offended by Derek Webb in general.”
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i think it’s always easier for us to not be gracious when we’re dealing with fellow believers…but grace should be our highest purpose.
Honestly I think that using that word is unnecessary.
I mean does he REALLY need to use it to get the message across? I don’t think so. He could do it without the word and without offending some people.
People might say “it’s just one word” but if it only is just one word, then removing it from the song shouldn’t be a big deal.
I don’t see the big deal
I love Jesus more than anything and He is at the forefront of everything that I do…..and I cuss and guess what I drink to. And i can say that i generally see nothing wrong with either of these things.
The only time I see what we have decided as “bad words” (notice Jesus never tells us anything about this because i take it to mean that they are just words…not a big deal) as a problem is when they are disrespectful to someone directly…now there is always going to be someone angry at what you say, and I have not heard the song so I can not say that it is not disrespectful but i would imagine that there is a reason that it is there
i love derek for his willingness to “break the stero-type” that is Christians and be willing to push that line a little bit, especially if that means that more people will hear about Jesus
The main issue I could see with using the s-word would be the fact that a lot of children listen and sing christian songs. I wouldn’t want my granddaughter saying/singing the s-word just because its in a christian song.
Its kind of a fine line and its nothing against Derek Webb but why would you want to include a cuss word in a christian song.
Its kind of like a lot of movies and some of the language they use in them. Some of these movies are very good and you could get the same effect without have to hear some of the words they use. We have to restrict my granddaughter from seeing a lot of these movies just because of the bad words.
Again, I do not know the song in question but I just cannot see a cuss word and a christian song belonging together. My concern is that if we start combining things like this, that eventually people would get comfortable with these types of combinations. I fear that eventually it would become more common and that people would be more open to these things. I would rather keep the language clean the way christian songs have always been.
In I Corinthians 31-34 Paul says “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.”
So Josh, when you cuss and drink do you do it for the glory of God? Whatever word or words Derek has chosen to use, nothing in his email points to a word, is he doing it for the glory of the Lord or to create controversy? The title of the record lends itself to think he is suggesting someone or a group is being brainwashed. Maybe he’s pointing to Christians living in a box?
Couple things I’ve noticed already….
Josh, first of all, before we get into this “I cuss and I’m a Christian” / “I’m a Christian and don’t cuss” crap, lets recognize one thing. Cussing doesn’t make you any less of a “Christian”, but lets beware of the danger of patting ourselves on the back and thinking that cussing somehow makes you more of a “Christian”. They are just words, but throwing around the “Jesus never said we couldn’t say sh*t” card is lame. And by the way, Jesus did happen to say a ton of things that you aren’t abiding by simply because you live in 2009. That’s a cop-out.
Second. Funny how this post has nothing to do with the song, the recording or the word that is in Derek’s song. This post is about creating a buzz around something that doesn’t even exist yet. Marketing. And that, Derek is doing flawlessly.
Do we even know that the “controversy” at Derek Webb’s label is about the dreaded “s word?” Or are we speculating based upon speculation of other people on the Intertubes?
I don’t hear Webb played on Christian radio…at least, on the two stations here locally and the two or three I’ve listened to online off and on for the past few years. Old Caedmon’s stuff, all the time…but not his solo stuff. So, because of that, whether or not he even says the dreaded word, in my opinion, doesn’t really matter.
Whatever the controversy with his label, Webb likely knew that it would just take one email to get things buzzing…which indeed it has. Great way to get attention, and will rally his fans around him. This is great marketing.
brody I agree with you that we don’t do alot of things that Jesus said to do and I didn’t mean for it to sound like “just because Jesus didn’t say we can’t means we should”
The basic point that I was trying to get to is that it is not a big deal what is said. I know I didn’t really get that point across in my previous post i just got really wordy in it.
The basic point that i have is that I am sure that Derek had a reason for whatever is said in the song and it will be interesting to hear the song to find it out.
And I don’t know if this is all a huge marketing concept by derek but if it is than it is brilliant because everyone is talking about his new album, and to be honest I would not have even known it was coming out… I just hope he doesn’t get as bad as Jaquim(sp) Phoenix and the whole DAvid Letterman thing
This is one of the reasons why the industry is a bit of a joke…….
Who decides that within the industry using the word shit is unacceptable behavior? sure the label have issue with it & derek is signed to them so thats fair game.
BUT in other areas is it fine that drunken behavior is ignored? Guys running labels, managing artists who are supposed to represent Christ and conversely their business dealings and general attitude is disgusting? Lawsuits between bands and ex-members?
I could go on……..
Bingo.
I chuckled.
I’m sure every bit of the email is true, but bingo.
Nothing like turning a rejection letter into a big fat ca-ching.
No cussing in Christian music please…But I do see the purpose of getting the album talked about.
However, we should keep our tongue tame and watch what we say.
Suzanne
I’ve met + interviewed Derek once, and can attest for the fact that he seems like one who is “always thinking” and not afraid to say it like it is. I was impressed and moved by the answers he gave me, especially considering many of them had to do with the back-and-forth relationship most artists (and particularly those who are Christians) have with their record labels, and the unspoken expectations of their audiences. He’s a man that both speaks and writes his songs with passion, conviction and honesty–something that can be unfortunately rare.
Whatever the issue surrounding the song, both Derek and his label have a lot on the line and a lot to consider, as he expressed. I’ve known INO to be a great label with reasonable people. I just hope this isn’t blown out of proportion before all the facts are straight. I guess that was a risk Derek was willing to take in writing that e-mail.
I’m a bit surprised that so many people are against Derek having a “cuss-word” in one of his songs. If you have been listening to Derek for some time now you should know that he has always been faithful to lead us to truth. My faith as well as many others have been affected positively by Derek and his teachings. Just like the blog above says, “He is always thinking” and because of this I believe he has thought about this thoroughly and realizes what he’s doing.
Also, he may be on a christian label but if you were to ask him I bet he’d say he doesn’t write christian music. He’s an artist and just like there is freedom in Christ there is freedom in art. Embrace it.
I think its somewhat humorous that people are using Paul to support the argument that he should not use the word shit in his song when Paul is the very one who used the Greek equivalent in Philippians 3:8. Perhaps there are times when it is not only needed to make people understand something, but also entirely appropriate.